Eulogy of Forgotten Souls - Chapter 2 Into the Shadow

Felicia and the six Elendils raced through the murky mists, eating away at the miles with scant minutes. Then suddenly a behemoth of a demon, ram-horned and thick-hided, with flames bursting behind it, stomped out of the mist.

'Orochi, it is.' muttered Gabriel. His claw extended, other hand gripping dagger, and vanished. He appeared behind the demon, dagger sinking into it's relatively soft neck, claw batting away the fel fires. Ivy quickly struck it with her sword, now split into several lengths with miniscule yet tough chain links. The tip of the blade struck the demon in the chest, and came back for another strike.

Cerulean gave a mighty roar, and barreled forwards, leaping and slamming his massive hammer into the Orochi's chest. It was knocked down. Ithuriel followed up with several ice blasts, then stabbed it in rapid sucession at it's arms and legs, opening fiery wounds.

Leon leapt up, and crashed down on the already downed Orochi, slamming it into the ground, then with one mighty heave, flung the massive demon up into the air with one powerful hand.

Then Azure, his six blades all in his hands, three on each between the index and middle finger, middle and ring, ring and little fingers, leapt into the air with Felicia, also wielding the same six katanas, and together they sliced away at the demon, turning it into shish kebab.

Without a pause, they rushed onwards.
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A lone figure tailed them, her long ebony hair flying in the wind as she sped closer and closer to the seven Elendils. Her keen eyesight spotted the seven long before she came into shooting range with them. And, loading a crystal-tipped bolt into her crystal-forged crossbow, she took aim, and fired with unerring accuracy at Felicia's neck.

It would hit were it not for Azure's quick parry, knocking it aside. They spun around, but couldn't locate the assassin, as they had come to a ruins of sorts, and the mist was thick here.

Another bolt came flying out of the mist, striking Leon in the leg. He grunted, and pulled it out, healing the wound in the process. He clawed another bolt out of the air the next second.

They formed a circle, dropping into a defender's crouch. Another bolt glanced off Cerulean's chest, but actually jolting him with the force of collision.

Then Felicia lashed out with her whip, snaring something, or someone. With a quick tug, she brought the culprit to their midst. It turned out to be a girl, barely a teenager. Or was she?

'Thou art fools to tread in holy ground!' spat the girl.

'Hey, you little twerp! You're talking to the queen of Elendils here!' shouted Leon, raising his fist.

'And thou not knoweth the true queen of Elendils? Foolish miscreants, begone with thee!' She kicked out with astounding force at Leon, who hastily dodged out of the way.

'You are referring to Candace, are you not?' asked Felicia.

'Yes, mayeth the gods praise her name! Thou art the great betrayer, forsaketh the true Elendils, and thou shalt die by her hands!' With a quick move, she broke free of Felicia's vice grip, and dashed away faster than the eye could follow.

'She runs well.' commented Ithuriel.

Azure frowned. 'I know her.'

Felicia raised her eyebrows. 'Who?' was all she said.

He sighed. 'My daughter, Crystal.'

'Daughter?' gasped Ivy. The others echoed similar sentiments.

'She was taken by the vortex...' replied Azure bitterly. 'And now...'

'We'll free her.' said Felicia.
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Xepher awoke groggily, and in a flash everything returned to him. He snapped up, and discovered chains shackling him tight, in a force bubble. He struggled for awhile before he heard a soft chuckle.

The Guardian was turned, the force bubble rotating to face the source of the laughter. Xepher was abruptly released, the bubble and the chains vanishing like smoke.

He dropped on all fours, gasping as the energy drained from him swiftly. He glared up at the gargantuan Elendil queen, so similar to Felicia yet unlike. To the side were the three death knights he fought earlier. And-

Fury clouded his vision as he saw Candace dangling Kaffleen, who was unconsious - or worse - with her thumb and forefinger. 'I believe you have come looking for her, yes, Xepher?'

'Damn...damn you!' He rushed forwards with a breathtaking speed and slammed his fist into Candace's torso, creating a shockwave that knocked Abel off his feet, and pushed the death knight abomination and Raphael back.

But the corrupted queen merely smirked, gazing down at him with slitted eyes like an amused cat. With one quick movement, she slammed her palm over Xepher, knocking him out.

'No, I won't kill you. Dead you serve nothing.' she taunted, then gestured to Raphael. 'Take him to the conversion chamber, and begin work on him. Both of you too.'